Microsoft Announces ‘Project Honolulu’

Microsoft has again invoked the Aloha State for a product name, this week announcing “Project Honolulu.”

Project Honolulu is described as a “flexible, locally-deployed, browser-based management platform and tools” recommended as a “graphical management solution” for Windows Server.

In announcing the tool, Microsoft doesn’t explain how or why it chose the name. But the company does share a number of customer reviews, which are amusing to read out of context:

I use Honolulu to manage hyperconverged cluster based on Storage Spaces Direct and what a tool. Honolulu provides me metrics, alerts and ease of management from a web interface. I can now easily manage my volume and get the state of my infrastructure. Honolulu looks like really flexible and Microsoft can add features really quickly.

This isn’t their first Hawaii shoutout. Back in 2010, Microsoft announced “Project Hawaii,” which included the “MAUI Project.”

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VR Junkies Comes to Hawaii

There’s a newly opened virtual reality gaming shop at Ala Moana Center called VR Junkies Hawaii. It’s actually part of a national chain, which Opapo Fonoimoana discovered in Utah and brought back to Honolulu. We were introduced to Opapo by local software developer Evan Nagle, and interviewed him about VR and his business on Hawaii Public Radio. It was great to hear how he saw gaming as just the entry point, and that he had a broader vision for bringing VR to the masses.

Before the show, Burt Lum and I headed down to check it out in person:

 

It’s not easy to maintain a retail storefront for any product, let alone something relatively new like virtual reality. Last year, my son Alex and I checked out “Lost Inside,” which was launched by local entrepreneur Rod Nakama in Kaimuki. He closed up shop a few months later, but continues to run The T-Shirt Lab.

With the official VR Junkies Hawaii grand opening coming up in a few weeks (hopefully after adjacent mall construction), here’s hoping Opapo and his colleagues can make this work.

I took my sons back to VR Junkies yesterday, and although it was expensive, my kids certainly felt it was worth it! There is a 10 percent across-the-board discount in place now, with a rewards program and additional pricing options planned.

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Statistical Study Done For Hawaii Destination Weddings By Wedding Planner Maui'd Forever

Waikiki, HI (PRWEB) October 23, 2012

A recent Maui'd Forever study reveals destination weddings in the Hawaiian Islands hold steady in tough economic times. Their study compares weddings done in 2003 versus those done in 2012.

The number of people going to Hawaii to get married is relatively the same as it was 10 years ago. Although the quantity is the same, the amount these people spend is down dramatically. The average spend is down nearly 17%. The other important information this study shows is where these couples travel from.

They found that the majority of wedding couples still hail from the West Coast but that majority is losing ground.. The East coast and Mid-West areas have shown the greatest amount of growth.

In 2003 when the wedding planning firm Maui'd Forever began their business the average spend on a destination wedding was over $2400. In 2012 that number is under $2000 per wedding. These statistics were derived from the 300-400 weddings performed each year by Maui'd Forever.

National statistics for destination weddings include the fact that 16 percent of marriages taking place in the United States are destination weddings. That 9 out of 10 couples say weather is a key factor in selecting a destination. Their familiarity with the location also plays a key factor. Many have visited their destination wedding location in the past. Many others are escaping colder climates.

The numbers of weddings done annually for the top markets are as follows:

1.    Las Vegas (125,000)

2.    Hawaii (20,000)

3.    U.S. Virgin Islands (5,100)

4.    Jamaica (5,000)

5.    Bahamas (4,000)

6.    Mexico and Florida are next

The destination wedding market accounts for $16 billion in annual spending. The average budget for a destination wedding is $20,600. 60% of destination couples pay for the wedding themselves and they are slightly older at 33 versus the average in the USA of age 28. They are better educated and make more money as 70% have graduated college and the average household income is $110,000.

The average number of guests at a destination wedding: 48. These guests spend an average of $400 each to attend. Most of these guests are family members.

The interesting find in their study is that in Hawaii their are many fewer guests attending than the average. Although exact numbers attending each wedding were not kept, an estimate was given to each wedding and the mean average came to 14 guests per wedding. The amount being spent on their Hawaiian wedding is also much less. The average spend on a wedding in Hawaii is under $2,000 for the wedding itself.

Mark Steffan, President of one of Hawaii’s largest wedding planner firms, Maui’d Forever says, “Most of our weddings are people from the West coast of the USA and Canada although other areas are trending higher. Many of our couples are traveling alone and eloping. We credit this to a tough economy and the fact that many of the marriages are for a second or third time. These couples have done the big wedding prior and are just looking for something simple and sweet. We are also getting more and more Vow Renewal requests.”

Maui'd Forever shows that in 2003 74% of their business came from the West coast of the United States. In 2012 that number has dropped to 60%. Mr. Steffan says “The numbers have certainly increased for those coming from someplace other that the West coast. My dealings with these visitors is that they have not traveled to Hawaii before and their destination wedding is a great excuse to go somewhere new”.

SOURCES

Association of Bridal Consultants

Bridal Guide

Condé Nast Bridal Group “2009 American Wedding Study”

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine

Fairchild Bridal Infobank

About.com

National Bridal Service

National Center for Health Statistics

Travel Industry Association of America

U.S. Census Bureau

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Making Memories: Tips For Planning Your Wedding Day

It can be easily said that organizing a wedding is a challenge, filled with options and compromises. In order to make the process a little more manageable, consider these helpful pointers and ensure that your big day will be one to remember forever.

You can get a better rate on almost any venue by booking during an off period. The wedding season traditionally begins in May lasting through September. Wedding venues are more expensive during these months. If you must book a space in these months, be certain to book way ahead of time to get a reasonable deal.

When you are planning your wedding festivities, think hard about the kinds of alcoholic beverages that are going to be available, and also how much of a price tag they will carry. If there’s a bar that’s open, it can be expensive, especially the longer it’s open. Ask the venue you’ve chosen for the reception which options they have available to you, and what the cost would be for each.

If there will be toasts or speeches given at your wedding reception, ask the speakers to practice in front of you to ensure that the material is appropriate for those attending your wedding. For example, you would want to eliminate any jokes that apply to a very specific group within your guests in order to avoid anyone feeling excluded and to make sure the speech is well-received by all who attend your wedding.

Choose ethnic catering to spice things up. Your typical chicken and steak dishes are too common, so why not try some other food choices? Variety is essential to a wedding dinner to make it memorable for all the right reasons.

Never go on a strenuous weight loss diet in order to look your best. Like a fighter getting ready for a big fight, you will wind up light headed from dehydration by rushing to lose a little weight. You don’t need to faint during the ceremony. Instead, buy a dress with a corset back so you can take it in or out as necessary on the day of your vows.

If you need to look great on your wedding day but money is a bit tight, then considering renting rather than buying any diamonds used in the wedding. In this way, you will be able to wear gorgeous jewels at a nominal cost.

Makeup Artist

When you are choosing a makeup artist for your ceremony, always look at samples of their previous work. Evaluate the makeup artist’s techniques. Be sure that it is exactly what you want. You don’t want your makeup to be wrong on the day of the wedding when you can’t fix it.

Use the information in this article to help organize your wedding ceremony, rehearsal and reception. You can find that there are many opportunities and resources that can help your day go smoothly.

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The Perfect Jewelry For The Perfect Bridesmaids’ Gifts

It’s time to stop imagining and start implementing your ideas. It’s the day you’ve been dreaming of forever, and you naturally want all aspects to be perfect. It can be easy to find perfection, but affording it may not be possible. So what can you do to have the wedding that you have always dreamed of, at a price you can afford? This article has some great tips to save money and have a great wedding.

Religion is most likely going to be a significant factor in not only your wedding, but your future marriage. Religious beliefs or the lack of religion should be discussed well before marriage.

It is important to practice walking down the aisle as often as possible before the ceremony. Go to your wedding location to practice while wearing your wedding shoes. This is how you will perfect your flow as you make the big walk.

Purchasing your gown on the Internet can save you thousands of dollars, but it’s important to buy early so you’ll have time to alter it before the big day. I bought my gorgeous gown online for only $150, but it cost me another $200 to have it altered to fit me perfectly. Budget in this additional cost.

When you decide who you want to give the speeches during the reception, ask them to read them to you so you know they are appropriate. There will be many different generations at the wedding, so sometimes a joke between young people is not received well by elders.

You can plan a personalized wedding by choosing elements that reflect who you are. Select a theme which reflects your relationship.

Look for a unique touch with your food such a ethnic theme, a style of cooking or something else to add flair. The standard is usually steak or chicken, so consider standing out with something different. Variety makes things interesting and will ensure you have a memorable dinner!

Don’t starve yourself to fit in your wedding dress! You may end up being dehydrated and maybe even light-headed. The last thing you want is to faint while saying your vows. Rather, consider a corset style dress that you can tighten or loosen on your wedding day.

While it’s important to provide your wedding DJ with a list of songs you love and wish to be played at your reception, it’s equally as important to let him know what you DON’T like. It might be specific genres you wish to avoid, or even particular songs that relate to a past relationship. No matter what, you must make sure he knows what music to avoid.

For any stylish and fashion forward bride, there is always the option to add some flare to a bouquet with a splash of diamonds, rhinestones or Swarovski crystals. You can add some crystals that have been glued on, some costume jewelery, or an heirloom of your own. Consistency is important in regards to stone sizes, cuts and the colors that sparkle, as all this needs to coordinate with your overall ensemble.

If you are hosting a destination wedding, your guests may appreciate receiving a basket of vacation goodies in their room on their arrival. Some useful items to include might be tourist information, sun hats, sunglasses, disposable cameras, maps of the area, sunscreen, and so on. To make it easier for them to find good dining, a local restaurant guide is certainly helpful.

You are now ready to plan the wedding you have always dreamed of. You are wishing for the ideal day, but want to avoid breaking the bank. Hopefully you now feel better able to plan the wedding of your dreams on whatever budget you have. Use these wisely so you can enjoy the big day.

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National Podcasts, Local Ads

Even though I’m a retired old-school podcaster, I’m still a voracious podcast listener. And over the last few weeks, I was surprised to hear ads for Hawaii companies while listening to National Public Radio podcasts.

On NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour,” I heard a pre-roll ad for First Insurance Company of Hawaii. And preceding episodes of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, I’ve heard ads for First Hawaiian Bank.

I heard First Hawaiian Bank’s ad first, touting its “Priority Rewards” credit card. I figured there was a possibility that FHB was advertising nationally, hoping consumers in Delaware might want to earn rewards from a Hawaii-based financial institution. But the First Insurance ad made it clear that it was aimed specifically at listeners in Hawaii.

Until recently, podcasts were generally a niche medium that supported only a handful of show and ad networks that seemed to draw the same advertisers. While Audible and Squarespace would be happy to sell their product to people across the U.S., some advertisers just don’t need to reach the whole country. I’ve heard ads on TWiT for companies that only serve customers in one state. And Hawaii residents are all too familiar with being exposed to offers that aren’t valid here (or in Puerto Rico). I’m looking at you, Blue Apron.

It makes sense that podcasting is now big enough to support localized ads, but I’m not familiar with the technology that supports it. Tens of thousands of people download these NPR audio files, and somehow the server is able to attach different pre-roll ads to the content and send it out as a standard, single audio file? Pretty impressive.

I’m not able to find much information about localized podcast advertising, and it’s possible only NPR has figured it out. (Either that, or First Insurance is advertising in Delaware.) But if it becomes more widespread, it’s going to be a pretty big deal. Any given popular show on a specific topic is bound to have a pretty good audience in certain regions or cities, and the ability to buy ads that only reach local customers will mean more relevance and will definitely be more effective.

Are you a Hawaii-based podcaster? Join the Hawaii Association of Podcasters!

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Getting Ready To Become One: Tips For The Betrothed

If you find the right person, you won’t need to get married more than once. Marrying your significant other is a huge leap, and an occasion such as this needs to be planned perfectly. So, use the tips from this article to help you coordinate the wedding of your dreams.

For a more affordable wedding, consider setting a date outside the traditional season for weddings. The wedding season traditionally begins in May lasting through September. Venues tend to be pricier during these months. To help ensure you are able to book the perfect venue, plan well in advance.

Wedding Dresses

You may be surprised at how expensive wedding dresses are. When you shop for a dress, try dresses that aren’t categorized as wedding dresses. You might even consider whether a dress designed for bridesmaids could meet your needs. Even with alterations, the cost may still be less.

If there will be speeches, then be sure to censor the content to make them appropriate. There will be a lot of different generations at your wedding, and a joke that young people can relate to might not be good for elders to hear.

Avoid starving to get into your dress. Like any athlete will tell you, too much weight loss too quickly can result in being light-headed and dehydrated. The last thing you need is to pass out as the vows are being given. Instead, use a removable corset that you can put on or take off as needed.

Do not place too many flowers on the tables at your wedding reception. Often, flowers just get in your guests’ way. Plus, some guests may be allergic to flowers. One classy alternative to flowers is unscented candles.

You want to practice that wedding day aisle walk, especially if you plan to wear heels. Go with flats if you’re worried about twisting an ankle. No one can see your shoes under your gown anyway, but if you fall on your rear end, they’ll see a lot more than shoes.

It might be a friend or a family member. All that’s needed is someone who can happily carry your gear during the ceremony and photo sessions. You can even have the assistant help you collect family members when it’s time to take a group shot!

When you choose to invite family members to join you at your destination wedding, ask them if they would like to stay for the honeymoon, as well! This will help with the monetary aspect of your trip. This can help them have a memorable day and a great vacation.

Try having your reception midday. During the day, you will see that people are less likely to drink, which can noticeably reduce your costs. Lunch receptions are usually cheaper than dinner ones, and you can use this to either get better food or apply funds towards another aspect of the wedding festivities.

If your wedding includes a colorful cake that will be its own focal point, use rich, coordinating fabric beneath it to set it off. You can tie all of the elements together by choosing fabrics that have unique textures, patterns, solid prints or those made of satin, silk or velvet.

The table centerpieces can be expensive and should be artistically pleasing. Rather than buying huge centerpieces that obstruct your guests’ view, consider simpler centerpieces that can be taken by guests as a keepsake. You do not want your guests to be unable to communicate because there is a large centerpiece in the way.

Committing to a person for life is a serious decision, so your wedding should reflect this major decision with perfect detail. So use these tips to help you plan a wedding that is uniquely yours.

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